🗞️ HealthBench, Hackathons & IPOs

Team Huddle

Hello June! May came and went in a flash. During that time, Nurses week flew by and I also participated in my first ever Hackathon!

What is a Hackathon? Check out RN Forward’s latest blog article below for a Hackathon 101 lesson from a nursing POV. 😉

Now lets catch up on the past month’s headlines in …

News Nurses Need to Know

1. OpenAI Releases HealthBench

   • Details: Built in partnership with 262 physicians who have practiced in 60 countries, HealthBench includes 5,000 realistic health conversations, each with a custom physician-created rubric to grade model responses. Building a standardization and maintaining high quality outputs is vital for building patient safety and trust with patients in AI models.

   • Why it matters: Standardization and benchmarking quality of AI outputs by clinicians en masse has yet to be done, much less, made available open source for others to review and use as guidance for their innovations. To build on this progress, we’d love to see a HealthBench for nursing workflows to generate custom nurse-created rubrics to grade AI Model responses. Quadrivia AI and the AAACN are taking the first steps to do just that.

2. Health Systems and venture firms are forming alliances to drive internal innovation.

   • Details: Aegis Ventures and Northwell Health co-launched the Digital Consortium—a coalition of 11 health systems including Stanford, UPMC, and Vanderbilt. Cedars-Sinai launched its own Digital Innovation Platform in partnership with Redesign Health to source internal challenges and give clinical staff opportunities to co-found companies—similar to models used by Longitude. Redesign Health also partnered with UPMC to launch Glimmer Health, a startup supporting PCPs in addressing chronic pain management. In recent years, other health systems like Wellstar, Intermountain, and Jefferson Health are also scaling innovation arms, launching venture funds, and partnering with major players like General Catalyst and a16z to incubate or deploy emerging healthtech startups.

   • Why it matters: Health systems aren’t just buyers anymore, they’re vying for a seat as co-creators which means the criteria for what gets built (and adopted) is changing. Optimistically, I choose to believe they will build from pain points of clinicians as well as operational pitfalls. However, they won’t know what your pain points are if you don’t speak up. So SPEAK! 🗣️ Or better yet, apply for a job in their innovation office.

3. Hinge Health IPOs and Omada Health rumored to follow

   • Details: Hinge Health raised $437M in its May 2025 IPO, debuting at a valuation of ~$3B. Note its less than half its 2021 peak of $6.2B, yet saw a 17% first-day stock increase. The company reported $390M in 2024 revenue with a net loss of $12M, showcasing strong gross margins and positive free cash flow. Omada Health, targeting a valuation of up to $1.1B, plans to raise $150M through its IPO, offering virtual care programs for chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Despite a net loss of $47M in 2024, Omada's diversified offerings of coaching, connected devices, and lessons paired with its substantial customer base positions itself as a big player in the digital health space.

   • Why it matters: This good sign for the digital health sector which recently only traded for 1x-2x revenue. It also reflects a maturing market where sustainable growth and profitability are prioritized over inflated valuations. A good time to build something great Nurses!

4. Jane App (valued at $1.8B) sells 30% of their business

   • Details: Jane App, a Vancouver-based clinic management platform, has reached a $1.8B valuation. Founded in 2012, Jane has grown organically with less than $10M in external funding, achieving approximately $100M in annual revenue and serving over 200,000 practitioners across 50,000 clinics in Canada, the U.S., and the U.K.

   • Why it matters: Jane is proof you don’t really need VC money to scale fast. Their growth strategy prioritizes profitability and product excellence over aggressive capital raising, distinguishing it from many venture-backed healthtech firms. I may highlight a lot of VC backed companies but don’t let it fool you into thinking that’s the only way of funding your startup. Steady growth, customer satisfaction, and non-dilution of your company is also attainable! 🙂‍↕️
     

     

5. American Medical Association (AMA) establishes a governance framework to implement, manage, and scale AI solutions

   • Details: The AMA's STEPS Forward module on "Governance for Augmented Intelligence" provides a framework for healthcare organizations to establish AI governance structures. It emphasizes the importance of leadership commitment, clear organizational structures, and defined roles to oversee AI integration effectively. Outlined are steps to develop policies that ensure AI tools align with clinical goals, maintain patient safety, and uphold ethical standards. It also highlights the necessity of continuous education and training for staff to adapt to AI-driven changes in healthcare delivery.

   • Why it matters: If you are a nurse leader finding yourself in a position where you must train and integrate AI applications into nursing workflows, this is the toolkit for you! By implementing these governance strategies, organizations can foster trust in AI applications help you navigate the complexities of AI adoption responsibly.

6. Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” makes it way to the Senate

   • Details: The BBB proposes significant Medicaid reductions, including work requirements and stricter eligibility checks, potentially leading to 7.6 million people losing coverage. The bill also bans Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care and restricts coverage for abortion services, affecting vulnerable populations. It also rebrands ICHRA to “CHOICE” or Custom Health Option and Individual Care Expense”. ICHRA is a tax-advantaged health plan that allows employers to reimburse employees for the cost of individual health insurance premiums and, in some cases, other qualified medical expenses. It also expands Health Savings Account, allowing more people to contribute to their HSAs.

   • Why it matters: There’s a lot stuffed into this bill and it definitely will not look the same going out of the Senate. At this time, critics argue that the bill disproportionately impacts low-income individuals, seniors, and marginalized communities. Furthermore, healthcare providers and patient advocacy groups warn that these cuts could strain the healthcare system and reduce care quality. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the BBB will increase the federal deficit by $3.8T.

Other Headline Highlights 🧐

• Epic announced the Launchpad program, featuring a “starter kit of genAI use cases” ready for … lift off. (couldn’t resist) 🚀

• Microsoft launched a healthcare agent orchestrator for cancer care being tested at Stanford, Hopkins, Providence, and more.

• Focused Post Acute Care Partners adopts CoreCare, an AI-powered workflow platform for SNF admissions.

• Maimonides Health and myLaurel partner to provide post-acute services at home following hospital discharge.

• Travel Nurse Across America (TNAA) and TotalMed merged.

Funding Announcements

💸 = Hiring potential. Follow these companies closely to see Nurse-qualified positions posted. Remember: Just because some positions don’t say “Nurse”, doesn’t mean you aren’t qualified!

• Axle Health, a software company transforming home health operations, raised a $10M Series A.

• General Medicine, a virtual care marketplace, raised $32M.

• Reperio Health, provider of at-home and onsite comprehensive health screenings, raised $14M.

• TSOLife, a platform for senior living operators to optimize quality of life and length of stay, raised $43M.

• Kouper Health, a care transition management platform, raised $10M.

• Sprinter Health, a platform for at-home healthcare, raised $55M.

• Complement 1, a platform for cancer patients providing lifestyle modifications and personalized coaching, raised $16M.

• Olio, a platform for streamlining care coordination, raised $11M Series B.

Notable Reads and Podcasts

On The Blog ✍️